Therochromatic ink covered article having image disposed thereon and method of making the same

• US 6,281,165 B1
• Filed: 01/29/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: World Wide Lines Incorporated
• Original Assignee: World Wide Art Studios
• Inventors: Cranford, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Bruce H.
• Application Number:
  US09/239,833
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 428/1, 428/29, 428/913, 847/1, 503/227, 503/200, 503/226, 427/150, 427/152
• US Class Current: 503/226
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2227 with means for amusing or giving information to the user A47G23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/225 vessels with thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/061 Special surface effect
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/00 Processes for producing special ornamental bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/10 Changing, amusing, or secret pictures

Abstract

A thermochromatic ink covered article including a substrate, a thermochromatic ink layer disposed on the substrate, a polymer acrylic protective coating over said thermochromatic ink layer, and a design disposed at least partially in said protective coating, the design being transferred to the protective coating via a sublimation ink transfer process.

Claims

1. A thermochromatic ink covered article, comprising:

a substrate;

a thermochromatic ink layer disposed on said substrate;

a protective coating over said thermochromatic ink layer; and

a design disposed at least partially in said protective coating.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein said protective coating comprises a sprayable polymer acrylic.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein said design comprises sublimation ink.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein thermochromatic ink layer comprises a base medium and a catalyst.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a vessel for holding fluid.

6. the article of claim 5, wherein the article is one of a mug, a cup, a glass, and a pot.

7. A method of manufacturing a thermochromatic ink covered article, comprising the steps of:

spraying thermochromatic ink on a substrate to produce a thermochromatic ink layer on said substrate;

coating said thermochromatic ink layer with a protective coating; and

applying a design to at least an exposed surface of said protective coating so that it is disposed at least partially therein.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising washing, drying and heating the article prior to at least one of said spraying and coating steps.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising mixing said thermochromatic ink with a base medium and a catalyst prior to said spraying step.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising curing the article after said spraying step.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising drying the article after said coating step.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said applying step comprises a sublimation ink transfer process.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said sublimation ink transfer process comprises applying a transfer paper having said design thereon to an exposed surface of said protective coating under a predetermined pressure and temperature.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined pressure and temperature are applied for about 5 to 15 minutes.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein said coating step comprises spraying a polymer acrylic.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein said applying step comprises at least one of applying a silk screen and fired ceramic decal.